Art History

The Art History program is committed to exploring the visual arts (painting, sculpture, performance art, graphic arts, architecture, photography and decorative arts) and today’s broad and immersive visual world as tools for exploring and decoding culture.

The Art History faculty members use a diverse range of methodological approaches to help students attain the necessary tools and knowledge to understand our visual world.

Courses are offered from ancient to contemporary art history, with specific attention to social history, gender, sexuality and race, post-colonialism, the context of history and politics, and myth and narrative. An art history major is ideal for students who wish to pursue a career in the arts, but it is equally valuable for those seeking to develop visual, analytical and communication skills.

Upon successful completion of all requirements, the student will have knowledge to:

• Acquire analytical skills to enable them to access meanings in visual images and develop a visual literacy
• Acquire a solid understanding of the roles of art and visual culture in a particular historical period and/or world culture
• Develop skills in critical writing, including the organization of a thesis and its defense
• Acquire skills and methods tor conducting historical research
• Acquire a substantial understanding of art as a specific epistemic and historically important category of human expression and discovery

The Art History program takes place in lecture halls and small seminar rooms, in on-campus museums and galleries and in the museums and the rich architectural landscape of Buffalo. Introductory-level lectures train students in techniques of visual decoding. Subsequent classes mix lectures with engaged student discussion and participation. Advanced students participate in a capstone course for seniors and have the option to take seminars and work closely with professors.

Admission to UB is highly competitive. For the freshman class, UB reported an average ACT score of 24-30 and an average SAT (CR+M) score of 1100-1300. 90 percent of admitted students are in the top 50 percent of their class.

Admission to UB is based on a holistic review. We consider high school average, class rank, SAT (critical reading and math) or ACT scores, and strength of the high school academic record. A personal essay, recommendations, documented creative talent, demonstrated leadership, community service and special circumstances are also considered.

The following is not required for admission, but is suggested as adequate preparation for university-level coursework:

• Four years of English (with a substantial writing component)
• Four years of social studies
• Three years of college-preparatory science
• Three years of a second language
• Three years of college-preparatory mathematics

UB requires a minimum TOEFL score of 79 (Internet-based) or 550 (paper-based) in order to be considered for admission. Students scoring between 70 and 78 or 523 and 547 on the TOEFL may be admitted to the university on the condition that they register for and successfully complete additional English courses in their first semester.

Want to improve your English level for admission?
Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• Flexible study schedule
• Experienced teachers
• Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

Art Departmental scholarships up to $2,000 are available to currently enrolled art majors.

One four-year scholarship covering all resident tuition and fees, minus any other aid received, is available to an undergraduate Honors student in the creative or performing arts. To be considered, students must have an unweighted high school average of at least 90 and a combined SAT critical reading and math score of at least 1230 or an ACT score of at least 27. A personal interview and a separate scholarship application are required. Contact the Honors College to request an application.